Blame Animal Fat if Your Diesel Engine Freezes Up This Winter

Balint Porneczi/Bloomberg News

When freezing weather strikes, cold-weather pros know to treat diesel with additives to prevent the fuel from gumming up their engines.

But now that U.S. diesel contains up to 5% biodiesels made from animal fats and soybean oil, consumers have noticed their fuel gelling at higher temperatures than normal, according to Clint Hamlin, a product specialist at Mansfield Oil.

“These concerns are amplified by biofuel content, which can contribute to higher gelling temperatures,” Hamlin said in an online analysis. “These can contribute to further filter clogging at cold temperatures.”